2 posts from January 14, 2013

January 14, 2013

Live blog chat: Thanks to all who joined our live blog chat today. We do it every most Mondays 1-2 p.m. Wall to wall today. Crammed almost 90 Q's/A's into 60 minutes. Not bad. My digits are tired. Thanks again.

[1) It is MONDAY, JANUARY 14. Heat's championship ceremony at White House scheduled for Jan. 28. As big a basketball fan as the president is, bet Obama is looking forward to the visit as much as the players. 2) Chevrolet revealed its 2014 Corvette today (pictured). Not sure, but thinking I might have to go get me one. 3) Join us on Twitter @gregcote]

NFL FINAL FOUR VARIETY: WHICH SUPER BOWL MATCHUP YOU LIKE BEST?: These NFL playoffs took a hit with Denver's ouster. The league and TV could not have done
better, for interest or ratings, than with Peyton Manning in the Super Bowl. Nevertheless next Sunday's AFC and NFC championship games present some interesting combinations, with all four teams offering something unique. Atlanta gives us the only team of the Final Four after its first Super Bowl win. Baltimore gives us the possible storybook ending for the retiring great ex-Cane, Canton-bound Ray Lewis in. New England gives us Tom Brady and Bill Belichick trying to reawaken their dynasty. And San Francisco gives us the electric Colin Kaepernick off his record-setting performance. Ravens vs. Niners additionally would give us the Bro Bowl: coaching brothers Jim vs. John Harbaugh. Pitcured left to right: Lewis, Brady, Kaepernick and Matt Ryan. Which possible Super Bowl matchup do you most want to see and why?

DOLPHINS WANT YOUR MONEY. GOOD LUCK WITH THAT: Dolphins owner Stephen Ross today laid out a plan for about $400 million in stadium improvements and seeks about half of that in public money. Roughly $100 mill of the cost would go to erecting a giant canopy to shield patrons from the sun or rain. Getting the public money will be a tough go for three reasons: 1) I think most fans (taxpayers) think the stadium is fine as is. 2) Attracting a future Super Bowl, the main reason for the money-grab, is not nearly as important to fans (taxpayers) as it is to local politicos. And 3) what the Marlins did makes this a hard climate for the Dolphins.

HEAT BIG 5 @ 35: The blog loves bells 'n whistles especially of the nerdy-stat variety and so this season
we started this new one we are running throughout Heat season at five-game intervals. It's a top-five cumulative ranking of the players having the biggest overall impact this season based on eight statistical categories. We continue with The Big 5 @ 35 Games (24-11:

Rank (@30) Player Total

1 (1) LeBron James 1,313.1

2 (2) Chris Bosh 878.8

3 (3) Dwyane Wade 835.4

4 (4) Ray Allen 545.1

5 (5) Mario Chalmers 525.1

Bubble: Udonis Haslem, 345.5

FUNNY VS. BLASPHEMY: What is funny to me might be sacrilege to others, but I am willing to push that line on occasion, because as a general rule I think people take themselves too seriously and that "lighten up" applies to most everybody. Here, above, an animated Snoop Dogg at the Last Supper is amusing to me. Not even sure why. Just is. I may be wrong.

GREG COTE'S FREE TIPS FOR PROPER LIVING (GCFTFPL):One in a series. Today: Backing in. Drivers,
when in a crowded parking lot surrounded by other drivers all jockeying for a spot, do not back in. It is unnecessary, and rightfully annoys your fellow drivers, who immediately I.D. you as a self-absorbed jerk even if you are not. The only time backing in is considered necessary or at least prudent is A) when unloading from the car or truck, B) when burglarizing a home (so neighbors can't see your license plate), or C) when committing an armed robbery such as a bank heist conducive to a rapid getaway.

JODIE FOSTER AT THE GLOBES: I'm not sure I have ever seen or heard a celebrity come out as gay quite as carefully or artfully -- or defiantly -- as Jodie Foster did last night at the Golden Globes. She (sort of) confirmed what was widely known, while also blasting the culture that all but forces celebs out of the closet, like it or not. Very interesting. Best few minutes of the night.

Click back. Will be updating/adding much more to this latest blogpost...

Welcome to Live Blog Chat No. 15: Thanks to all participants. Great response. We do this every Monday expect on holidays and when I forget, from 1-2 p.m. today. Click on 'Comments' below for transcript of today's palaver. See you next Monday at 1.